Reports of Widespread Voter Suppression in New York State Democratic Primary

On the day New York State Democrats select their party’s standard-bearers for the upcoming midterm elections, voters are reporting numerous forms of procedural roadblocks, incorrect voting information and disenfranchisement that many suggest rise to the level of voter suppression.

Also worth noting: this was 8:30, and the poll watcher who helped me said I was the second person she’d spoken to who had this problem—another woman who said she was an active, regular voter and not in the books.

Traister’s thread continued–and taking stock of the same thing happening to a friend of hers. She wrote, “Also! My next door neighbor, registered for years as a Dem, an RHA activist, extremely politically engaged, especially in local and state elections this season, is also not on the rolls at our polling place. She’s on her way to get a court order as we speak.”

Soon, other New York State voters began chiming in with similar stories.

Lydia Polgreen, editor-in-chief of HuffPost and a former director at the New York Times, said she had her information scrubbed from the Democratic Party’s voter rolls as well.

Jess McIntosh, a New York resident who hosts the popular Signal Boost show on Sirius XM also went to vote on Thursday morning. And when she did, McIntosh discovered that her name was not on the Democratic Party’s voter rolls either.

McIntosh described her situation by way of advice to others facing the same issue. She wrote, “Had to assert my rights for the 1st time at a polling place today! Reminder: if you’re in the right place and not on the rolls, sign an affidavit and cast a provisional ballot.”

As the day wore on, similar stories cropped up all across Twitter and Facebook.

Kristen Richardson discussed her own experience and that of multiple friends, noting that she’d never once been forced to accept an affidavit–or provisional–ballot before today:

Three of us just in my line weren’t on the voter rolls at my polling place (in Clinton Hill). This is the first affidavit ballot I’ve had to cast there. WTAF indeed.

Podcast host John Gawarecki-Maxwell also noted the extent of stories coming from New York State voters but didn’t appear to have experienced the issue himself:

All I’m hearing today is stories of people mysteriously purged from the voter rolls all over New York again, just like in the 2016 primary. Oh, but I’m sure it’s all just a coincidence that these purges overwhelmingly help the incumbent.

Another podcast host and author, Virgil Texas, made light of his own apparent disenfranchisement. He wrote:

To the 6 people left who have not been purged from the New York voter rolls: it’s Election Day. Kindly do what I couldn’t do and vote. When you get to all those judicial races just write in someone funny. Write in the Noid. Nick Mullen. It’s legal. There’s no laws on Election Day

At least some voters found they were still on the voter rolls but came to learn that they had somehow been moved over to the conservative New York State Reform Party (which also holding their primary on Thursday).

Jalopnik writer Michael Ballaban noted, “So after years of being registered as a dirty dem, I get to the voting place today and am informed I am now registered as a member of the Reform Party. And that I can’t vote. WEIRD.”

I wasn’t able to vote today because my party had been mysteriously changed without my permission. I filled out an affidavit and hope my vote eventually counts but this is just a reminder that our voting systems are messed up no matter where you go.

Multiple voters who had been removed from the rolls attributed the change to some sort of an incumbent protection racket. Twitter user James Ryan wrote:

Peeved that my wife and I were nowhere to be found on the voting roll this AM in Wash Heights, despite not changing our registrations and voting recently as last year. Someone really didn’t want my vote for @CynthiaNixon and @ZephyrTeachout 😡

Seems like the 2016 purge of Democrat voters in NY was never fixed… and it’s weird that all the people I know having to file an affidavit ballot were Bernie voters in 2016 and Cynthia voters today. pic.twitter.com/6OABvFwnkX

This reporter witnessed a man at a Brooklyn polling station in Sunset Park pleading with poll workers to find his name and pointed at his wife’s name. After many minutes of arguing, he realized he’d been removed from the rolls as well. A devastated look gave way to acceptance as he solemnly accepted a provisional ballot. “I’ve lived here for 20 years,” he said.

And at least one elected Democrat appears to have taken part in some of New York’s infamous election day shenanigans. Large numbers of voters reported that they received a text message from New York State senator Marisol Alcantra with incorrect voting information: